Stake pocket and stake for vehicles



April 2, 1929. T. D. KENNEDY STAKE POCKET AND STAKE FOR VEHICLES Filed Oct. 13, 1927 W 6 w 1 9 a h: x In: HAW m ll-IllL a u w,

INVENTUR Patented Apr. 2, 1929.

THOMAS D. KENNEDY, OF OWEN SOUND, ONTARIO, CANADA.

STAKE POCKET AND STAKE FOR VEHICLES.

Application filed October 13, 1927. Serial No. 225,884.

This invention relates to the pockets employed at the sides of vehicles to receive the lower ends of load retaining stakes, and also to the construction of the stakes themselves.

In my prior United States Patent No. 1,645,196, dated the 11th of October, 1927, I described and claimed a form of pocket adapted to releasably retain a stake and controllable from a remote point, and my object in the present invention is to provide a metal stake particularly adapted for use with the said pocket, to provide means for automatically locking the stake against vertical displacement in the pocket when the pockets are locked to retain the stakes against lateral displacement, and to so construct the device as to facilitate the exit of the stake from the pocket when the gates are unlocked.

I attain my object by forming the stakes of metal I-beams having the channels filled up with filler-blocks to a point above the level of the gates of the pocket. The flanges of the I-beam are bent so that the front and back surfaces of the stake are convexed, sloping each way from the web. The lock-operating shaft of the prior patent is provided with a hooked latch, the end of which engages in a hole in the front face of the stake when the shaft is in the gate locking position.

The device is constructed in detail substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a plan View of a stake pocket constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 a front elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 a side elevation; and

Fig. 4c a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the parts in a different position.

In the drawings like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the difienent figures.

1 is a back plate, on which are formed lugs 2 forming two spaced sets of hinge knuckles. Gates 3 are formed with hinge knuckles cooperating with the lugs 2 aforesaid and pivotally connected therewith by means of the hinge pins 5. The space between the lugs is sufficient to receive the lower end of a stake 6 constructed as hereinafter described, the back plate forming the back of the pocket, the lugs 2 the sides, and the gates 3 the front of the pocket. Each gate is provided with a tail 7 extending away from the pocket. At its lower end each gate is provided with a lug 8 adapted to engage a shoulder 9 formed on the adjacent lug 2. These lugs and shoulders thus form stops limiting the closing movement of the gates. Oneach hinge pin 5 1S positioned a coil spring 10, one end of each spring bein connected with one of the lugs 2 and the ot er with the ate. These springs tend to close the gates. T e gates are adapted to be locked in their closed position by means of latches 11 adapted to move to and from a. position between the tails and the back plate'l. Each latch 11 is provided with round projections 16 adapted to slidein the guides 17 formed on the back plate. A crank 13 is pivoted directly to the lower end of the latch so that the latter must necessarily rock on its projections 16 as it is moved to and from its operative position.

The lower end of the stake is supported on the bearing 19, which is preferably integral with the back plate. As means for positively ejecting the lower end of a stake, when the gates are released, I provide a rotatable ejecting member. This is formed of a clamp 20 adapted to be clamped about the square shaft 14 and having an arc-shaped surface 21 so that, as the shaft is-rotated to release the latches, no upward movement is imparted to the stake. A shoulder 22 is formed on the member 20 which, when the latches are fully released, comes to a position to engagethelowor back corner of the stake and thus, as the shaft is further rotated, forces the stake outward, in case for any reason it has become stuck or jammed so that the pressure of the load does not eject it. As ever stake pocket along the length of the vehic e is similarly constructed, suitable bearings are thus provided for the shaft 14. At one or both ends the shafts will be provided with operating means, such as now known in the art, and which requires no specific description.

The parts, hereinbefore referred to, are, save for the features which I will now describe, similar to those disclosed in the pat- 100 ent aforesaid.

It is found in practice that, under some conditions, the ties used in retaining the load in position, in which are secured the stakes, ex-

ert a strong upward pull tending to dislodge 105 the stakes from the pockets. I therefore provide means whereby, when the gates are locked, the stakes are automatically locked down in the pockets. On the clamp 20 I secure a hooked finger 25, which is secured in 110 position by the bolt 26 of the clamp. The end of this hooked finger or latch is adapted to en gage in a'hole 27 formed in the front of the stake 6. This hooked finger, it will be noticed, is so positioned that it will beentirely disengaged from the hole 27 before the shoulder 22 of the ejector engages the lower back corner of the stake. The stake itself is formed of an I -beam, preferably, though not necessarily, of symmetrical section, and, for a distance of about eighteen inches or so from the lower end, fillerpieces 28 are bolted between flanges of the I-beam to provide flush sides where the stake engages in a pocket. This construction not only stilfens and strengthens the stake where the strain thereon is greatest, but also prevents the gates engaging in between the flanges of the I-beam as the stake is vbeing ejected. Another important feature of the construclt will be noted, partic- Fig. 1, that the flanges tion is'as follows ularly on reference to oftheLbeam are bent at the pocket enggyaging end sothat the front and back suriaces of the stakeare convexed, sloping each way from the web This construction is preferably adopted at the back and. front of each end of the stake so that the stake may be used with either end in the pocket and with either flange outermost.

The stake engaging sides of the gates 3 are bevelled at approximately the same angle as the flanges of the stake. A stake, when being ejected, will thus engage the gates at their extreme inner ends where the stake has the greatest leverage in swinging the gates against the tension of the springs 10.

It has been found that if the stake be formed with a plane gate engaging surface, the tendency is for the outer edges of the front of the stake to'engage and bind on the gates, which trouble is satisfactorily overcome by giving the stakes the bevelled or wedge-shapes gate engaging surfaces.

What I claim is:

1. A stake pocket having an open front; astake having a latch keeper formed adjacent its lower end at the front thereof; a gate adapted when closed to retain'the stake in the pocket; a releasable lock adapted to retain the gate in its pocket closing position; rotatable means below the pocket adapted to actuate the lock release; and a latch adapted to swing in a vertical plane so as tobe brought into and out of engagement with the keeper by the rotation of the said means.

2. A stake pocket having an open front; a stake having a latch keeper formed adjacent its lower end a gate adapted when closed to retain the stake in the pocket; a releasable lock adapted to retain the gate in its pocket closing position; rotatable means adapted to actuate the lock release a latch adapted to be brought into and out of engagement with the keeper by the rotation of the said means; and a projection on said means adapted to engage and eject the stake after the said latehhas been disengaged.

3. A stake pocket having an openfront; a stake having a latch keeper formed adjacent its lower end at the front thereof;: a gate adapted when closed to retain the stake in the pocket; a releasable lock adapted to retain the gate in its pocket closing position; a. shaft below the pocket adapted to actuate the lock; and a latch secured to the shaft adapted to swing in a vertical plane so as to be brought into engagement with the keeper when the shaft is. operated to lock the gate and to be disengaged when the shaft is operated to unlock the gate.

Signed at Gwen Sound, Canada, this 28th day of Sept. 1927.

T. D. KENNEDY. 

